NDIS Protocol driver Compatibility Issues

NTDEV
1

Hello
I know that NDIS protocol driver written on Win2000 is binary compatible on
Windows 98/95, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0. Correct me if I am wrong. Are
drivers written for Windows 98/Windows ME binary compatible on Win2000.

thanks in advance
Ravi

2

Humm…

I have some doubts about binary compatibility of NDIS protocol drivers. For
sure, there are some potential problems concerning binary compatibility of
NDIS protocol drivers across NT and W2K. IMHO, a NDIS protocol driver for
each of these platforms should be compiled under the DDK that matches the
target platform - even if the sources are identical. See the NDIS FAQ at:

http:

for one representative compatibility problem.

In addition, NDIS protocol drivers typically will need to use non-NDIS
system services. For example, DeviceIoControl kernel-mode file-I/O, etc.
Unless you are writing a really trivial NDIS protocol driver, there will
probably be at least one non-NDIS platform-specific service that you’ll want
to use - immediately breaking binary compatibility.

Finally, AFAIK, NDIS protocol drivers on 9X are VxDs - which won’t fly at
all on NT/W2K.

Hope this helps,

Thomas F. Divine

PCAUSA - Toolkits & Resources For Network Software Developers
NDIS Protocol - TDI Client - Windows 95 Redirector
http:

----- Original Message -----
From:
To: NT Developers Interest List
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 4:42 PM
Subject: [ntdev] NDIS Protocol driver Compatibility Issues

> Hello
> I know that NDIS protocol driver written on Win2000 is binary compatible
on
> Windows 98/95, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0. Correct me if I am wrong. Are
> drivers written for Windows 98/Windows ME binary compatible on Win2000.
>
> thanks in advance
> Ravi
>
> —
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@pcausa.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst(‘Email.Unsub’)
></http:></http:>

3

Hi
Thanks for the reply. Are driver’s written on Win2000 binary compatible on
Windows ME? I have to support NDIS protocol driver for Windows 2000 and
Windows ME. I have a situation where user mode apps communicate with the
protocol drivers. So the protocol’s upper edge is an IOCTL interface. Will
this binary code written on Win2000 work on Windows ME/98.

thanks
Ravi

4

The ME/98 NDIS protocol driver will be a VxD. The W2K NDIS protocol driver
will be a “NT” kernel mode driver. AFAIK, there will be no binary
compatibility there - although the sources will be almost identical.

The App will have to have some platform-specific code. For example. the
details of opening a VxD driver for DeviceIoControl communication will be
different from opening the W2K KM driver for DeviceIoControl communications.
After the driver is opened, the actual DeviceIoControl calls can be made to
be identical, from the application persepctive, on the two platforms that
you mentioned.

Good luck,

Thomas F. Divine

PCAUSA - Toolkits & Resources For Network Software Developers
NDIS Protocol - TDI Client - Windows 95 Redirector
http:

----- Original Message -----
From:
To: NT Developers Interest List
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 5:00 PM
Subject: [ntdev] Re: NDIS Protocol driver Compatibility Issues

> Hi
> Thanks for the reply. Are driver’s written on Win2000 binary compatible on
> Windows ME? I have to support NDIS protocol driver for Windows 2000 and
> Windows ME. I have a situation where user mode apps communicate with the
> protocol drivers. So the protocol’s upper edge is an IOCTL interface. Will
> this binary code written on Win2000 work on Windows ME/98.
>
> thanks
> Ravi
>
> —
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@pcausa.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst(‘Email.Unsub’)
></http:>